Junkie as defined by the Oxford Dictionary: a person with a compulsive habit or obsessive dependency on something.

For decades the term junkie has been reserved as a derogatory term for those suffering from the habit of illegal drug consumption. You know the sort… crack-heads, stoners, etc.

Somehow this term has evaded use for the billions of others who suffer from “normal” compulsive habits. Who am I referring to? I’m referring to every person who cannot get through the day without a cup of coffee, is moody after missing their sex because it’s so damn lekker (fun). In short, I’m referring to you!

We all have our fix, that thing that we look forward to at the end of the day. Whether it’s easing into your armchair to watch some god awful soap opera or starting off your night with what will be the first of umpteen double whiskey and sodas.

You are a junkie one way or another. If you for one moment believe you are not, you are either devoid of all personality and character or completely brain dead. Even zombies are junkies… for fresh brains.

What then is it that brings us to condemn other peoples’ habits while turning a blind eye to our own habits? What is it that permits us to imprison people based on nothing more than personal opinion? What is it about dagga/marijuana/cannabis that scares people so much? What is it that breeds such blatant hypocrisy?

There seems to be this huge fear among fundamentalists and zealots within our society that legalising dagga will lead to complete anarchy. People will suddenly decide to stop working, the economy will grind to a halt, Rizzla will be the only company worth buying shares in and if stoners weren’t so damn lazy, there will be orgies on every street corner. Worst of all people will stop brushing their hair or wearing shoes.

Honestly, I understand why you might believe this. You’ve been fed this image your entire life. It’s been forced into your every orifice since your very first day on this earth. Along with this you are drip fed an image that alcohol is the key to good times, uncountable babes in bikinis and hot dudes with bronze tans. Quite odd considering that pound for pound alcohol is to dagga what AIDS is to a bad case of the hiccups. One kills by the millions while the other can be mildly annoying to those around you.

The point that seems to be lost on dagga-prohibitionists is that this is not just about a plant. It is about the principle of our freedom being limited and our rights superseded by a hypocritical law. Yeah sure, carry on saying because it’s the law (illogical as it may be) it’s right. Before you know it you will become a victim of your own fundamentalism when your very existence is defined by a complete lack of personal freedom.

I anticipate a barrage of comments that will follow this article, all along the lines of…

“I’ve seen firsthand how dagga ruins lives”

“It’s addictive”

“It causes schizophrenia”

“It makes you lazy”

“It’s a gateway drug”

“If we unleash it, there will be pandemonium as everyone will get high”

Really? Are you sure about that? I’ll bet my next joint that you are not able to show me a single empirical scientific study proving that….

- Dagga ruins even 1% of the lives that alcohol or tobacco ruins?

- Dagga is physically addictive?

- The significant increase in global dagga use over the last 40 years has resulted in any increase in global schizophrenia rates?

- Any of the studies concluding that dagga causes schizophrenia vouch for the safety of the dagga and that the quality of the dagga had not been jeopardized by harmful pesticides or herbicides?

- Dagga makes you lazy?

- Dagga leads to further drug use. Please note: Not a study that says it is one of the stops on the way to harder drugs, but that it will actually cause you to devolve into a crack-head?

- Dagga use has increased in places where it has been decriminalized or legalized?

It really does suck that you’ve been lied to all your life. Shit, I know what it’s like. I grew up on a diet of “Listening to rock music will turn you into a Satanist” and “Real men drink beer”. By all accounts I should then be a beer bellied High Priest of the Church of The Devil, instead of the boring paper pusher I actually am today.

All I can do is pity the zealous anti-dagga folk out there. Not because your opinion has been abused, left warped and tarnished in the gutter by those who should be giving you the full truth, but because your life is controlled by a fear that you are not able to overcome. An unjustifiable fear that defines the person you are today.

If you are unable to see that the war on dagga is first and foremost a war on personal freedom, you have become a tool of oppression. A propaganda fueled soldier of hypocrisy. Your own worst enemy.

“Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself” – Jimmy Carter, former US president.

About the Author: Buzz

Aspiring cannabis connoisseur who is unable to contain his frequently imploding thoughts, therefore sharing them with you on his quest for enlightenment, or The Force, whichever comes first. Buzz is also is in charge of the day to day runnings at the BTL Headshop.

There seems to be this huge fear among fundamentalists and zealots within our society that legalising dagga will lead to complete anarchy. People will suddenly decide to stop working, the economy will grind to a halt, Rizzla will be the only company worth buying shares in and if stoners weren’t so damn lazy, there will be orgies on every street corner. Worst of all people will stop brushing their hair or wearing shoes.

So damn true – “One kills by the millions while the other can be mildly annoying to those around you”

Leave them living with their eyes closed. They’re ignorance keeps them happy. I personally feel that once you start smoking weed (properly, not rarely) you start being able to see the world for what it really is. Most people can’t cope with that.

Great article! Makes one wonder what else we have been fed or forced to believe throughout our lives. Personal favourite benefit of cannabis is- it makes me think!
Have to say that people should be made aware of the numerous other uses for the plant and the benefits it could have on South Africa especially. It would be pretty cool to be sitting in house made out of hemp, in clothes made of hemp, displaying a variety of body/health/recreational products made from hemp, cooking awesome munchie food and smoking a lovely jolly (joint) as a protest to all those that can’t see the truth!

I gota agree here…the creativity that spawned in me after a toke far exceeded anything in my wildest dreams wen I was not stoned. I thank marijuana for all 3 of my patents. I’m no millionaire or wateva other magical story has popped into ur head but I’m certainly have made sure I have a decent backup plan which is more then most can say. Don’t knock be4 u try…its all I’m sayin
Ps: duno if there is any science to this but I think I have a higher immune defense(as far as flu goes anyway)

Thanks for the great article , Buzz, and especially for the links that substantiate the facts you provide. This is real in-depth journalism. I also really like that you are proud to use the word “dagga” in this article. Score one for the Dagga Culture! Viva AmaDaggaDagga VIVA!!!

Hi Buzz
I’ve read your article and I believe it 100% true!!
If I could forcefully bash all this Information into non-believers heads I would!!
All we can do is hope and prey that the people fighting for the re-legalization of Cannabis (http://daggacouple.co.za) in South Africa will be successful or at least open a few influential eyes!

Until then I quote
“All I can do is pity the zealous anti-dagga folk out there. Not because your opinion has been abused, left warped and tarnished in the gutter by those who should be giving you the full truth, but because your life is controlled by a fear that you are not able to overcome. An unjustifiable fear that defines the person you are today.”